Former Ferrari chairman returns to F1 paddock: his advice for Ferrari and the team’s current spirit. Ferrari, Montezemolo’s take: how to win and what drives the team today .

“Breathing this air again after ten years was very nice,” admitted Luca Cordero di Montezemolo to Sky microphones. The former Ferrari chairman returned to meet some “old acquaintances” in the F1 paddock and didn’t miss the chance to analyze Ferrari’s complex situation. Having started 2025 under a not-so-bright star, the Prancing Horse now wants to climb back up, starting with the first seasonal updates brought to Bahrain. In Sakhir qualifying, Ferrari’s Leclerc grabbed an excellent third place, putting a smile on Luca di Montezemolo’s face.

There’s a familiar face in the paddock at the Bahrain F1 GP: after ten years of absence, former Ferrari president Luca Cordero di Montezemolo appears in Sakhir. After the qualifying session on the Manama circuit, the 1947-born Bolognese took time to analyze some aspects of “his” Ferrari, closely observed in Sakhir. “I’m very happy for Ferrari, I must say the truth,” said Montezemolo. “This is an important third place, Sakhir is a tough race. Every race tells its own story. It was thought McLaren would dominate here in Bahrain, but that’s not the case: Norris will have to fight,” he noted.

Montezemolo watches “his” Ferrari: the return of the former boss to the paddock in Bahrain
After partially sidestepping the question about his talks with Lewis Hamilton, Montezemolo focused on the whole Ferrari team: “Did I speak with Lewis Hamilton? Yes, but not today… I saw the ‘old’ Ferrari guys all very motivated. That really pleases me. I think that this team, at times, generally lacks leadership. Let’s hope that sooner or later we can celebrate a winning Ferrari. But for that, you need organization, and you need time.” – he pointed out.

Luca di Montezemolo preaches patience. The Italian entrepreneur, who wrote significant pages in Ferrari’s history, believes in the Maranello team: “Charles Leclerc starts from the second row tomorrow, and each race tells a different story. The gap with Oscar Piastri isn’t as big as expected. Of course, here the rear tires wear a lot and McLaren looks very strong on race pace. But I believe Ferrari can be in the fight, also because Norris is starting from further back, even if overtaking isn’t too hard here in Bahrain.” – he concluded.